Alik Sarkisian

Head Diving Coach

Alik Sarkisian was named Head diving coach for Florida Atlantic University ahead of the 2022-23 season, arriving to FAU following a three-year stint as head diving coach at UNLV.

Sarkisian also previously served 13 seasons as the head diving coach for Northwestern from 2006-19. In 2019, he coached his divers to a silver and bronze medal in the Big Ten 3-meter and platform dives as well as an NCAA 1-meter and 10-meter dive finalist. He was named both Big Ten Coach of the Year and the CSCAA National Coach of the Year in 2018. During this period, he also served as the coach for four Team USA Grand Prix teams, the coach for Team USA in the World University Games in 2013 and 2018, and coached Team USA in the 2015 World Series.

Prior to his time at Northwestern, Sarkisian was the director and head coach for the USA Diving Regional Training Center from 2001-06, where he sent athletes to the USA Diving Grand Prix, Pan-AM Games, and USA/Canada Challenge.

From 1998-2001, Sarkisian served as the Head Diving Coach for the Trojan Dive Club as well as assistant coach for USC. While there, he sent athletes to the USA Diving Olympic trials and served as a preparation consultant for the United States Olympic team.

In 1996, Sarkisian had the honor of serving as the head coach of the Armenian national team at the 1996 Summer Olympics, held in Atlanta. 

Sarkisian also coached the Armenian national team from 1991-93. 

Sarkisian graduated in 1980 from the USSR State University of Physical Education in Yerevan, Armenia. He then coached for the USSR national team from 1980-1992.

Daphne Wils

Lead Age Group Dive Coach

& Admin

Daphne Wils comes to FAA via University of Hawaii & Penn State.

Career Accolades: 

• Winner of the L.D. MacNeill Award & Elizabeth McCoy Most Outstanding Athlete Award (2023).
• B1G Diver of the week (2023) after leading the Nittany Lions to victory against West Virginia and setting a pair of then-school and pool records in the 1 and 3 Meter dives. 
• Academic All-Big Ten (2024)

2022-23 (SR+):

• NCAA Championships (3/16-17): Competed in the 1 Meter (259.50) and 3 Meter (237.60) for 24th and 43rd place. 
• NCAA Diving Zones (3/6-8): Qualified for NCAAs, winning the 1 Meter by over 20 points (610.80) and scoring within the top 12 of the 3 Meter (560.80).
• B1G Championships (2/15-18): Became the first female diver to advance to finals from Penn State in the past decade with two A Final appearances in the 1 Meter and 3 Meter, placing 4th (311.45) and 7th (317.25).
• v Army (1/13): Broke four records – earning the school and pool record in both the 1-Meter and 3-Meter dives with scores of 330.90 and 356.55. 
• NC State Invitational (11/17-19): Won the 1 (315.80) and 3-Meter (334.60).

Personal:

• Daughter of Annemieke van Leeuwen and Rob Wils.
• Has two siblings, Berend (18) and Koen (23).
• Graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in sociology.
• Has competed with TeamNL since 2011 with coach Ramon de Meijer, placing third in the European Championships and eighth at World Championships for synchronized diving.
• Named the Dutch National Champion since 2018.

Trevor Kuhn

Age Group Dive Coach & Lifeguard

College

• 

High School

• Four-time district champion at Palm Harbor University High School as a diver under coach Anthony Perrillo
• Three-time regional champion 
• Third place in the FHSAA

Personal

• Born and raised in Clearwater. Fla.
• Majoring in business
• Son of Trista Tori and Allen Kuhn
• Hobbies include working out and scuba diving